2 am
by KawaiPanda
Summary: In which Natsu sneaks into Lucy's bed.


2 a.m.

Usually at this time of night, Lucy Heartfilia was deep asleep, dreaming of adventures to come. But something, a noise, awoke her from her deep slumber.

Rolling over with a groan, she looked towards the rustling, the pull of sleep keeping her from being alert. The window was open, and she frowned, trying to remember if she'd closed it or not before she'd gone to bed. Slowly, she sat up, the sheets pooling in her lap as she eyeballed the figure standing just in front of the open window, a small breeze wafting through the room. The curtains came to life as the wind took hold of the fabric, making them dance briefly before the man...(?) closed the window, blocking out the wind.

"Natsu?" She whispered, frowning as she tried to get a clearer look at the man inside her room. Most of the moonlight was blocked out from the passing clouds, but a brief moonbeam allowed her a glimpse of pink hair before it was swallowed by the shadows once more. At her voice, he stilled before shuffling towards her.

"Shhh." As he neared, she felt a brief pang of annoyance. This was the third time this week he'd been in her apartment like this, breaking into her room in the middle of the night. He kicked off his shoes before pulling back the covers and slipping under them to lay next to her, a human furnace. He muttered, "Go back to sleep, Luce."

And because she didn't have the strength to fight him, she did as he bade her, laid back down and allowed him to pull the blanket back up, covering them both, though sleep didn't come to her as she expected. As time passed, the pull lessened until it was virtually nonexistent and she was wide awake.

The heat that radiated from his body as he lay next to her seeped through her skin, warming her in a pleasant manner that would have had her nodding back off it if wasn't for the hyperawareness that was beginning to eat away at her sanity. Ever since the grand magical games and the events that took place afterwards, she finally figured out that she was in love with him. Watching herself die had been hard, and the thought of living a life without the pink haired man just wasn't something she could imagine nor one she wanted to even entertain.

It was why she didn't immediately kick him out of her bed in the mornings that he did sneak into her apartment — those damnable feelings of hers that made her flush when she awoke to the feeling of his hot flesh pressed against hers, relishing in the smoky scent that clung to him and her pillows. It was those fucking feelings of hers that had her daydreaming of a life, a future, between the two of them, even when she knew his feelings laid somewhere else… with someone else.

"Natsu…?" She whispered, hoping the man lying next to her hadn't already fallen asleep.

A moment of silence, before he was shifting, turning towards her replying, "Yeah?"

"…" She bit her lip rather than confessing, chewing on the flesh until it was irritated at the treatment, a dull ache beginning to throb when she finally released it.

"Luce?" He shifted even closer. She didn't roll over to face him. She knew without a doubt, if she had, she would blurt it out, told him the words that were at the tip of her tongue, waiting for a chance to spill out. Words that so desperately needed to be spoken because they were eating away at her soul, her sanity, or what was left of it.

"I…." Why was it so hard to just say it? Say the words… three simple words. I love you. Maybe it was because she knew he wouldn't take it the way she meant it. Rather… he would think she meant as a nakama or as her best friend—not as him a man and her a woman. Tears of frustration sprang forth, prompting the dragon slayers immediate concern. His hand touched her shoulder, causing her to jerk at the touch.

"Luce?" She curled up into a ball, drawing her legs up, into the safety of her arms. She tried to swallow the sobs, but nothing she could have done would have kept him from hearing them. He was a dragon slayer after all. "Lucy?" Confusion was laced throughout his voice along with an edge of concern that had her sobbing even harder.

She was so selfish, crying like this. She knew it would make him worried, but nothing would stop the tears. Why couldn't she have waited until he was gone to give into the pain? One-sided love was the absolute worst.

Abruptly, Natsu sat up, his hand finding purchase on her arm before forcefully turning her towards him. Before she knew it, he was leaning over her, his face mere inches from her own, his hot breath mingling with her own as her breathing labored from her bout of crying. "What's wrong?"

"I…I-" she broke off, unable to form coherent thoughts at this point, and besides, when it came to Natsu, actions spoke louder than words. Without another hesitation, though her mind was screaming in protest, Lucy leaned up and captured his lips with her own in a lingering kiss. After a moment, feeling him to be unresponsive, she pulled away.

His eyes were wide and his grip had gone lax. Knowing she'd just made the biggest mistake in her life, she flushed from embarrassment and moved from her position from under him. She hadn't made it off of the bed before he grasped her arm in a steel grip, tugging her flush against him and his mouth molding itself to hers, hot and demanding.

Eyes wide, she found herself slowly responding to him, moaning out as he laid her back on the bed, moving to settle atop of her, his hands slowly beginning to explore her body, his fingers finding their way up the tank top she wore, barely brushing against the underside of her breasts when it hit her. With a gasp, she shoved him off of her breathing heavily.

And because Natsu hadn't been expecting her to go from compliant and willing to major freak-out mode, he toppled to the ground with a loud thud.

Sitting up, he scowled at the girl, rubbing his nose having fallen on his face. "OW! What the hell, Lu-"

Catching a shaky breath, she interrupted him, "Get out."

He blinked, moving to stand. "What? Lucy, what the-"

"GET OUT!" She shouted, pointing at the window. Flinching at the volume, Natsu looked at the window and back at her.

He frowned, cocking his head to the side. She was sending him confusing signals. "Why?"

"I can't…." She shook her head, and stood, putting some distance between her and him and that bed. Looking away from him, she murmured, "Just go, please."

He took a step towards her, his steps faltering when she put up a hand to deter him. "Lucy, I don't get it."

"There's nothing to get, Natsu." She moved to lock herself in the bathroom, because it was obvious he wasn't going to leave her in peace. Not until he had answers she didn't want to give him.

Before she could even open the door and escape inside, his hand was pressed against it to keep it closed. She didn't turn, knowing she was trapped between the flimsy wooden door and the dragon slayer. He leaned towards her, his presence overwhelming, demanding. "Why did you kiss me?"

"I…" She bit her lip again, trailing off because she couldn't tell him how much it hurt to see him fawning over the long lost take-over mage even though her heart was lodged in her throat. She wouldn't tell him how hard she'd fallen for him because it was selfish of her to think that even though the white haired girl was back, Natsu wouldn't move on and be with his childhood sweetheart. Natsu deserved happiness, didn't he? And her feelings would be nothing but a burden on him.

"…"

"It doesn't matter," she muttered. She couldn't lose him - not because her dumbass heart decided to get in the way of her friendship with him. And she knew she would… but then, she probably already had.

"Yes, it does," he insisted.

She shook her head in denial, rounding on him. "No it doesn't! Not when you have Lisanna!"

"Lisanna?"

"Yes!" Shoving past him, she stalked to the other side of the apartment, towards the window. He was going to leave, even if it meant having to summon one of her spirits, he would leave and they would never talk of this again.

"What does Lisanna have to do with you kissing me?" He asked, ever the persistent man she'd fallen for, and she stopped in her tracks.

"…" After a moment, she resumed her stride, determination pulsing through her. Pulling the window open, she turned and looked at the pink haired pyro, giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Look, let's just forget this ever happened, okay?" She suggested.

He blinked at her, his eyebrow's furling. "Forget? Why would I want to forget?"

"Because it's not supposed to be like this. It's not….-" She broke off, feeling a constriction in her throat at the mere thought of him with her, of their future life together.

"And how is it supposed to be?" He asked, coming to stand before her.

She looked away, whispering, "You and Lisanna."

"Me and Lisanna?"

She nodded, tears threatening to spill once more. "Yep."

He sighed, tugging on her chin with his hand so he could see her face. "Luce… don't you get it?" He gave her a crooked grin. "I love you."

Her heart in her throat, she choked out, "Natsu…?"

Pulling her into his arms, he repeated, "I love you, you weirdo."


End file.
